1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of washing machine lint filters in general and in particular to a lint filter having a unique clean out feature.
2. Description of Related Art
As can be seen by reference to the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,970,880; 4,906,367; 3,960,733; and 3,959,138, the prior art is replete with myriad and diverse lint filter constructions having flexible netting walls.
While all of the aforementioned prior art constructions are more than adequate for the basic purpose and function for which they have been specifically designed, they are uniformly deficient with respect to their failure to provide a simple, efficient, and practical lint filter construction that provides a unique clean out feature designed so that the lint filter does not have to be removed from the drain outlet and wherein the user is provided with direct access to the heaviest concentration of accumulated lint. As anyone who has used the prior art lint filter constructions is all too well aware, the biggest disadvantage to these devices are the numerous steps that are employed in removing the lint filter from the drain outlet, removing the accumulated lint from within the lint filter and the re-installation of the lint filter on the drain outlet.
As a consequence of the foregoing situation, there has existed a longstanding need for a new and improved lint filter construction that has a built-in clean out feature that does not require the lint filter to be removed from the washing machine drain outlet once the lint filter is installed; and, the provision of such a construction is the stated objective of the present invention.